How Many Dog Years Are There for Every Human Year?

Written by nicholas demarino

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(Flickr- parl- CCA-NC-ND, Flickr- Kamonegi_jp- CCA-NC-ND)

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Background

Dogs have a metabolic rate of roughly seven times that of humans. As such, it has been widely asserted there are 7 dog years for every human year. While largely conversational and used for entertainment, knowledge of a dog's relative human age is useful for some health-related and wellness-related considerations.

Dog Years

The accepted 7 to 1 dog to human years conversion rate is a figure meant to align the stages of a dog's life and maturity with that of a human. This figure is based on the average human life span of 75.8 years, which is 10.8 dog years. An old dog may be 12 to 14 years, which is 84 to 98 in human years. The conversion is useful for recognising and contextualising common age-related illnesses in canines, although the onsets of some conditions, such as arthritis, are not necessarily directly correspondent.

Variables

Just as humans live longer and shorter lives, so too do dogs. Diet, environment and hereditary factors are all important considerations. Likewise, larger dogs tend to live shorter lives, and indoor dogs tend to live longer lives.